Box Score (PDF)

KINGSTON, R.I. – The George Mason University men's basketball team rode exceptional defense to a 9-point lead at the half, but the offense stalled in the second as Rhode Island was able to escape with a 62-59 victory in the Ryan Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
GM (10-5, 1-1) led 34-25 at the break and 54-48 with 5:18 to go. But the Rams used a late 8-0 spurt to take the lead and held off the Patriots with a last second jumper after Brayden O'Connor tied it up for the Patriots (59-59) with 11 seconds to play.
 
The Patriots held URI to just 33 percent (7-22) from the floor and 21 points under its scoring average (83.3, 1^st in A-10) for the game. It marked the first time Rhode Island shot below 35 percent for a game since the Patriots held the Rams to 29.4 percent on March 6 last season in Kingston.
 
But the Rams were +11 (15-4) from the free throw line in the second half and held a 15-9 edge in second chance points. GM went 9-of-18 from the line (.500) and 2-of-17 (.118) from 3pt range in the loss.
 
Senior Darius Maddox led the Patriots with 14 points and four rebounds, while senior Woody Newton added 13 points (5-8 FG) and four rebounds. Junior Brayden O'Connor chipped in 12 points (5-9 FG) and two assists.
 
Jalen Haynes grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and blocked a season-best three shots to go along with six points.
 
Sebastian Thomas led the Rams with a game-high 23 points (8-13 FG).
 
The Rams jumped out to a 12-6 advantage, but the Patriots held URI scoreless for more than 10 minutes and used the subsequent 15-0 run to go up 21-12. Rhode Island cut it to five at 21-16, but GM responded with another 7-0 spurt to build a 12-point edge at 28-16. The Patriots took a 34-25 advantage into the break.
 
The Rams moved back within four at 43-39 with 12 minutes to play in the game. URI got it to three at 49-46 but a Woody Newton 3-pointer pushed the Patriots back up six (54-48) with 5:18 to play. Rhode Island rocketed back with eight straight to put the Rams up  56-54 with 2:58 to go and URI held a 59-56 edge with 22 seconds left.
 
O'Connor hit an incredibly clutch floater, plus the harm, with 11 seconds left to tie it at 59-59. But Thomas completed the 3-point play with less than a second remaining to give the Rams the victory.
 
George Mason returns home for a Wednesday night contest vs. Richmond. Tip-off between the Patriots and Spiders is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on USA Network.